Peking University Professor: In Recent Years, There Has Been a Force Dragging Everyone Downward

Excerpted from the China Digital Space entry on “Driving in Reverse.”(Online image)

[People News] In recent years, one can clearly feel a force in society that has been dragging almost everyone downward—and this force has grown ever stronger. Many beautiful things have been ruthlessly shattered and destroyed. Open displays of vulgarity are treated as “genuine temperament,” and such vulgarity links together across the internet, echoing with one another and growing louder. In such an environment, those unwilling to sink along with the crowd—those who only want to maintain their original position—are seen as guilty.

Because of this, anyone with normal cognition and empathy naturally feels a strong sense of powerlessness. The resulting pain and oppression are normal. Many of my friends, myself included, more or less share these emotions; some even need alcohol to barely suppress their anger and ease their suffering. In the current environment, if someone does not feel pain, does not feel oppressed or pressured, and instead insists on living in a state of supposed serenity, then, from a psychological perspective, that is a much deeper problem: they may appear calm and happy, but in fact are gravely unwell. At the very least, they are dangerously numb.

Many people channel the pressure and pain they feel into hostility, venting it on those they can bully—carrying with them the attitude of “if I rot, then let everyone rot together.” I understand this kind of emotion; it stems from weakness and instinct. But I do not agree with this self-destructive mindset and behaviour, because it only accelerates a greater avalanche. And when that day truly comes, no one can claim innocence. The atmosphere of the online public sphere does affect me somewhat—I sometimes feel weary of it—but ever since I stopped taking it so much to heart, it has been harder for it to cause me real harm.

From another perspective, enduring a harsh environment may actually aid personal growth, awakening one’s inner vitality—much like Scarlett O’Hara in Gone with the Wind. Without the experience of the Civil War, Scarlett might have remained a shallow and naïve plantation heiress all her life. Under the great waves of history, who can truly withstand the battering currents? That itself is a profound test. I am by no means defending a terrible environment, but since we cannot change it, the only option is to adjust our own mindset, to approach and manage the environment’s impact from a constructive angle.

At the same time, when faced with the force dragging us downward, we must consciously exert a counterforce—otherwise, we will surely be conquered by it. It’s like a person standing in a rushing river: if one merely stands still, sooner or later the current will sweep them away. So first, one must learn to stand firm in the torrent, to maintain a stable inner core. On that foundation, remember to seek out like-minded companions and work together to build a dam. This should not be done with brute force, but with strategic effort. Patient, persistent effort is important, but so too are strategy and planning. Do not waste energy on temporary rage. Do not allow yourself to be dragged down into collective decay. And above all, do not despair after a few defeats—for what matters is not the outcome of a single battle, but the ultimate result of the entire war.

(Source: China Digital Times)